Response to 'Tight Jeans' by Destiny Ekaragha

In 2008, Destiny Ekaragha directed a short comedy film, 'Tight Jeans', following a conversation had between three teenage boys who are sitting on a wall waiting for another friend, sparked by a man walking past who is wearing tight jeans.

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In terms of narrative structure, this film is very simplistic; based in one setting, with only a few camera shots and with no action, other than the conversation had between the friends, which takes up the entire nine minutes. Compared to the other short films I have watched so far, this film seems much less complex, and, having been released ten years ago, perhaps slightly dated.
Despite this, I enjoyed Ekaragha's use of colour; the three main characters are wearing red, orange and blue hoodies respectively, and these bright colours against a saturated background setting of a working-class London neighbourhood, symbolises the characters' bright personalities and the way this can help life in a potentially difficult location.
Also, after watching an interview, I admire the purpose behind this film, which Ekaragha says was to present young black men realistically, as this group is often misrepresented in films and the media, though she admits that the topic of the film is potentially controversial, and in her opinion, not necessarily the truth.

In terms of this film influencing my own work, it has shown me the importance of having a message behind my film, and once again reinforced how symbolism improves films, as it can provide a hidden meaning upon a second viewing. However, I would like my film to be more complex than Ekaragha's, as 'Tight Jeans' felt more like watching a skit than a short film.

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